I started this thread to place a known working solution to installing Alternative keyboards in an OP as the OP to the original thread has chosen not to mod their OP to document the solution there. (A choice I completely accept as it is their OP.)
If a moderator finds this excessive do what you need to!
Hopefully this will alleviate some of the noob's initial confusion with keyboards.
What is this for:
Rooted Nook Tablets 16gb in size is proven to work.
Thanks to:
yaggermr - found the keyboard debug screen
robertely for getting this started.
CelticWebSolutions for the steps that work.
The steps:
Enable keyboard Debug mode.
Install an Alternate launcher and Root explorer
Install anycut: http://goo.gl/isvc1
Open Anycut, Create a New Shortcut.
Pick "Activity"
Pick "Android Keyboard Debug" (PROTIP: the list is larger than it looks, Scroll down!)
While you are there, create another shortcut for "Accessibility", and "Debug settings."
Return to your alternate launchers home screen and open "Android Keyboard Debug"
Enable Debug mode, and click Back. (Side note, you can stop here if you only want to change themes.)
From OP of the original thread.
This is where my method differed to op.
Install swype from market or use a downloaded apk.
It won't work yet.
In ES File Explorer navigate to /data/app
Copy the keyboard apk (swype one)
Navigate to a safe place such as your sdcard
Paste the apk
Navigate to /data/app
Copy the keyboard apk (swype one) again
Navigate to /system/app
Paste the apk
Change properties of system copy to all ticks
Reboot
Once rebooted select the keyboard with any cut shortcut to accessibility settings
(it may say something about you having no accessibility installed, you can install something form market here if you wish but you don't actually need to)[*]Keyboard will keep crashing which is OK it's nothing to worry about, it's just a bit annoying for a moment
In Es File Explorer navigate to the safe place you stored a copy of the swype apk
(not the original one in /data/app or the duplicated one in /system/app)
Click install to install it from the apk
It will inform you that it's going to overwrite existing copy
Click OK
Crashes will stop
Finally delete the copy from system/app
I (SCClockDr) believe this step prevents issues on subsequent re-boots.
All should work now.
I've (CelticWebSolutions) got Go keyboard, swype and a couple of others installed this way and all work
I've (SCClockDr) got Swype, Hacker, Swiftkey and a couple of others installed this way and all work
Good luck!
Note for noobs like me, restarting after adding and deleting files from SYSTEM/APP takes a few minutes, be patient
Edit: I deleted the copy from system/apps and started getting force closes again, going to do it again and leave the copy their.
Edit: Leaving the copy stopped the force closing.
Thanks for this - Using Thumb keyboard 4
Edit - GRRRRR restarted and force close started again!
Related
Anyone find this problem, my File Explorer not response when I try to copy or delete some file. Onely End task can stop that error, event i make soft reset still come error again.
Thanks
I have a similar problem...
However, for mine, when I copy and paste a file, the "hourglass" keeps going and going and going. After a while I just press the X and close the application.
When I open it again the file I was moving is moved and everything is where it should be (ie. copy and paste was successful)
I've got the I-mate 1.72 rom
WeatherB said:
I have a similar problem...
However, for mine, when I copy and paste a file, the "hourglass" keeps going and going and going. After a while I just press the X and close the application.
When I open it again the file I was moving is moved and everything is where it should be (ie. copy and paste was successful)
I've got the I-mate 1.72 rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem as yours... The problem doesn't exist if using third party explorer.
I have another problem which made me decided to hard-reset it: Whenever I install an apps or game, I could not find the newly installed program shortcut in \Windows\Start Menu\Programs or \Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games, I would need to soft-reset my device to make it appear.
I know how to resolve this problem
first goto Start---Program---AutoConfig-- then change network you want or leave default your system will running smooth again.
DON"T WORRY, your data will not lose.
Thanks
Actually, there is an awesome program you can use instead of the MS File Explorer. I just installed this because of these headaches, works good!
https://www.handango.com/PlatformPr...&order=desc&catalog=30&txtSearch=File+Manager
Some reasons
1. No compatible new fonts (may be for dictionary) with File Explorer
2. No compatible new themes (ppc2002) with File Explorer
Solution
Delete new font from windows/fonts
Back to theme windows default then soft reset
Hello... I'm on TnT lite 5.0 and it works very well... I just have one minor issue. I cannot enable any other "keyboard" other than the ones that came with the ROM.
I tried installing several... Writepad, betther keyboard and thumb keyboard... All of them appear on Setting>Language & Keyboard but when you try to enable them, they give you the warning about privacy, you say ok and then don't enable. Any one else have this issue?
Thanks.
you will need a root explorer, it's on app market but not free.
From Root Explorer, open the /data/app/ folder and you will find the
keyboard you just installed. Then copy the apk file to /system/app, note
this is where you need the Root Explorer to change the permission for
/system folder from R/W to R/O (allowing permission to write in this folder
by user).
Do a restart once you finish copying the file. The new input method
should be enabled by default then.
Alternatively you can use "adb" tool from Android SDK to transfer the
apk file if you don't have a copy of Root Explorer.
There is a free version of Root Explorer out there. And it will get the job done.
Rev
Thanks
Thanks for your help guys... I will try that!
Is it possible to make one of the new keyboard options the default?
Once you have the keyboard on there and working, you can change the default keyboard input.
In TNT (Lite), I usually use the Search app - click and hold the text box, then click "Input Method".
Thanks!
Hey Guys, thanks a bunch for the help on getting this better keyboard working. I wanted to confirm that this method works in TNTlite v 4.4.0 as well.
There are some interesting settings that you can use in this application. Many of which are hidden, it worked on the origianl Kindle Fire, and I tryed to just use it to get keyboards fixed, and then I was messing with it. Just install apk, doesnt need to be in system/app
Not really sure if its any use besides a couple hidden settings. I ended up getting into the actual ICS settings menu, its interesting to mess around with this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=868366
Lets you add keyboards
I was able to change keyboards with this app.
1.Download nookcolor tools (I found it in the xda forum, not in the market)
2.Download whatever keyboard you want
3. Open up root browser or whatever file explorer you have
4. Click on the apk file for the keyboard you want
5. Select the view option
6. Open the lib folder
The keyboard I downloaded (hacker keyboard) has 4 folders in lib folder
7.I selected the armeabi-v7a folder. Inside you'll find a something.so file (mine was libjni_pckeyboard.so)
8. Click on the .so file and select extract. Mine extracted it to /sdcard/extracted
9.I then copied the .so file from the /extracted folder, opened up the /system/lib folder, and pasted it
10. Move the keyboard apk file to the /system/app folder
11.Reboot the kindle fire and open up the nookcolor tools app
12. Click choose keyboard. Your downloaded keyboard should now be available as an option.
WALAA
I did this just to get a keyboard with a ctrl button. It should work with any keyboard app.
HOWEVER... in landscape mode you can only see like 95% of the keyboard. It works perfect in portrait mode though. Sorry for the long step list. All of these steps may not be necessary but this works. Keyboard will not be available until reboot. Will say updating or upgrading on startup.
Hah..12 steps!!
After every reboot , Swiftkey crashed and i must reinstall from the /system/app/ directory and must click Ok to overwrite an existed Systemapp. Then Swiftkey works perfectly. After a reboot Swiftkey crashed again.
can u help me?
swiftkey
matzew said:
After every reboot , Swiftkey crashed and i must reinstall from the /system/app/ directory and must click Ok to overwrite an existed Systemapp. Then Swiftkey works perfectly. After a reboot Swiftkey crashed again.
can u help me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works on mine. Did u install from market? My launcher did this until I installed it from a non-market source. Try googling swiftkey apk and then follow the steps above. Also make sure you move the .so file.
Hansen ndtsen
Thanks. Is the Keyboard available after a reboot?
swiftkey
matzew said:
Thanks. Is the Keyboard available after a reboot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is.
How did you get the ics settings?
Sent from my KFTT using xda app-developers app
strat6 said:
I was able to change keyboards with this app.
1.Download nookcolor tools (I found it in the xda forum, not in the market)
2.Download whatever keyboard you want
3. Open up root browser or whatever file explorer you have
4. Click on the apk file for the keyboard you want
5. Select the view option
6. Open the lib folder
The keyboard I downloaded (hacker keyboard) has 4 folders in lib folder
7.I selected the armeabi-v7a folder. Inside you'll find a something.so file (mine was libjni_pckeyboard.so)
8. Click on the .so file and select extract. Mine extracted it to /sdcard/extracted
9.I then copied the .so file from the /extracted folder, opened up the /system/lib folder, and pasted it
10. Move the keyboard apk file to the /system/app folder
11.Reboot the kindle fire and open up the nookcolor tools app
12. Click choose keyboard. Your downloaded keyboard should now be available as an option.
WALAA
I did this just to get a keyboard with a ctrl button. It should work with any keyboard app.
HOWEVER... in landscape mode you can only see like 95% of the keyboard. It works perfect in portrait mode though. Sorry for the long step list. All of these steps may not be necessary but this works. Keyboard will not be available until reboot. Will say updating or upgrading on startup.
Hah..12 steps!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this and installed perfect keyboard pro. It's pretty good, the "p" is hidden and the "0", ")" but are still accessible. They have a setting for landscape but couldn't get it to work.
matzew said:
After every reboot , Swiftkey crashed and i must reinstall from the /system/app/ directory and must click Ok to overwrite an existed Systemapp. Then Swiftkey works perfectly. After a reboot Swiftkey crashed again.
can u help me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same on me with Perfect keyboard Pro or lite.
After reboot - crash.
Chelle, please describe if there is some special with permitions and so on. What is the name and size of so lib file? Did you change the permisions?
perfect keyboard pro
kokonai said:
The same on me with Perfect keyboard Pro or lite.
After reboot - crash.
Chelle, please describe if there is some special with permitions and so on. What is the name and size of so lib file? Did you change the permisions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes change permissions
It was the same name as above, armeabi-v7a
look for the. So file in there it is libjni_pt_new.so
move (extract) to system lib folder (SD/system/lib)
move pkp apk to system/app change permission rw-r-r
Install
reboot
Open nook color tools change keyboard
Hope this helped with the above steps
Chelle01 said:
Yes change permissions
It was the same name as above, armeabi-v7a
look for the. So file in there it is libjni_pt_new.so
move (extract) to system lib folder (SD/system/lib)
move pkp apk to system/app change permission rw-r-r
Install
reboot
Open nook color tools change keyboard
Hope this helped with the above steps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange, my file named "libjni_latinime_pt2_new.so"
can you help me with your apk?
kokonai said:
Strange, my file named "libjni_latinime_pt2_new.so"
can you help me with your apk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine too auto correct took out the 2 after (pt) what do you mean help you with apk?
move it to system apps, change permissions then install.
Thanks Chelle, now is OK.
My apk file for perfect keyboard was not good.
I installed free version from play market without a problem.
Copy failed?
Chelle01 said:
Yes change permissions
It was the same name as above, armeabi-v7a
look for the. So file in there it is libjni_pt_new.so
move (extract) to system lib folder (SD/system/lib)
move pkp apk to system/app change permission rw-r-r
Install
reboot
Open nook color tools change keyboard
Hope this helped with the above steps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I try to copy the .so file into system/lib, it says the operation failed. As far as I can tell, I have all the permissions enabled. Any suggestions? Thank you!
littlethief said:
When I try to copy the .so file into system/lib, it says the operation failed. As far as I can tell, I have all the permissions enabled. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't copy, move or extract.
Hey guys,
So after a month of obnoxiously slow typing on the Stock Google Keyboard, I FINALLY figured out a way to get the ICS keyboard running! I tried before but got stuck with the following error any time I tried to use the keyboard: "Unfortunately Android Keyboard Has Stopped". BUT something I did today finally worked!
What you need:
Android SDK and Drivers Installed
ICS Keyboard Files attached to this OP (JB backup files are also posted here in case anyone needs them)
(NB: Not sure if the dictionary makes a difference, but it's in there because it worked for me with it)
Root
Busybox (you can download a busybox installer from the playstore here
Here's what I did:
A. Remove JB Keyboard
B. Add ICS Keyboard to /system/apps
C. Fix "Unfortunately Android Keyboard Has Stopped" message
ADB Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Unzip TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your adb folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\android\android-sdk\platform-tools or C:\Program Files\android\android-sdk\platform-tools).
2. Open a command prompt and navigate to that folder.
3. Enter the following commands to backup the Jelly Bean stock keyboard files to your ADB folder. "adb pull /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk LatinImeGoogleJB.apk" and "adb pull /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk".
4. Enter the following commands to push the ICS files to your tablet. "adb push LatinImeGoogle.apk /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "adb push LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk".
5. Open a shell on your Prime via adb. "adb shell" "su"
6. Move the ICS keyboard files from your sdcard to the system folder. "cp /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "cp /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
7. Change/fix permissions. "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
8. Reboot.
NB: If you try to use the keyboard at this point, you will get the error message I described above.
File Explorer Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Download Root Explorer or ES File Manager or any other program that can access system files.
(I use ES File Explorer because it's free. Download it, go to settings, Root Settings, and check all the boxes, granting Root Permissions as necessary.)
2. Navigate to /system/app and copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
3. Paste them to /sdcard and rename them LatinImeGoogleJB.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk. Copy these to your PC for safe keeping if you want.
4. Unzip the TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
5. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your /sdcard.
6. Paste them to /system/app.
7. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
8. Reboot.
Directions for C
NB: I tried a few things to get this working, so I can update this as necessary to remove unnecessary steps.
9. Once rebooted, go to System --> Language & Input, and ensure that you see Android Keyboard at the top of the list of Keyboards.
10. (THIS STEP MAY NOT BE NECESSARY). Navigate to the LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk files in your sdcard and click them. A box will pop up asking you if you want to replace a system app. Hit yes for both.
11. Go to System --> Apps --> All --> Android Keyboard
12. Clear Data for Android Keyboard.
13. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for "Dictionary Provider".
14. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
15. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
16. That should do it!
To restore the JB Stock Keyboard via ADB
0. Go to System --> Apps --> All and uninstall updates to "Android Keyboard" and "Dictionary Pack".
1. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
2. Unzip the TFP JB Android Keyboard.zip files to your adb folder if you do not already have them there (C:\Program Files (x86)\android\android-sdk\platform-tools or C:\Program Files\android\android-sdk\platform-tools).
3. If you do have the stock files still there, rename them to LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
4. Open a command prompt and navigate to that folder.
5. Enter the following commands to push the JB files to your tablet. "adb push LatinImeGoogle.apk /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "adb push LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk".
6. Open a shell on your Prime via adb. "adb shell" "su"
7. Move the ICS keyboard files from your sdcard to the system folder. "cp /sdcard/LatinImeGoogle.apk /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "cp /sdcard/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
8. Change/fix permissions. "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeGoogle.apk" "chmod 644 /system/app/LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk"
9. Reboot.
10. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
11. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
12. That should do it!
To restore the JB Stock Keyboard via a File Explorer
0. Go to System --> Apps --> All and uninstall updates to "Android Keyboard" and "Dictionary Pack".
1. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
2. Unzip TFP JB Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
3. If you still have your backup files, you can use them. Make sure they are on your SD Card.
4. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your SD card.
5. Paste them to /system/app.
6. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
7. Reboot.
8. Go to System --> Language & input --> Default and choose English (US) Android Keyboard (should be the 2nd option).
9. Open a text field (ie the body of a blank message in Gmail is what I used) and click to start typing.
10. That should do it!
Hope this helps others that can't stand the unbearably slow typing on the Jelly Bean Stock Android Keyboard. Hit thanks if it worked for you! (If not, post here and I'll do my best to help figure out the issue.)
EDIT: Simpler method is to basically just sideload the apk for the ICS keyboard and install it like you would any other apk. It will reset after a reboot, but 'reinstalling' it again seems to fix it (again).
Thank you!
Thank you so much! I had flashed the 4.1 -> 4.2 keyboard package to my phone, and the keyboard wouldnt work, so I did it with the JB keyboard and now it's perfect! Kudos!
Lol no problem. Glad I could help!
I realized last week you just need to sideload the apk for ICS and all the other steps are useless. go figure...
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Life-saver.
Confirmed working on latest official update (.18). I had tried other apks but they didn't install correctly, this one does the trick.
I'm a little confused on the instructions. I can't seem to get this to work right on NRG's ROM. Is there an ICS apk that works?
rorytmeadows said:
I'm a little confused on the instructions. I can't seem to get this to work right on NRG's ROM. Is there an ICS apk that works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I should probably just delete the whole OP. All you need is the ics apk for the keyboard from the zip above. Then just side load and install it like you would any other application. You may need to reinstall it after each boot.
Alternatively you can try to replace the apk in system/apps with the one above, set permissions and see if that works. It doesn't work in stock but is a superior method if it works on nrgs rom.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
nhshah7 said:
Sorry I should probably just delete the whole OP. All you need is the ics apk for the keyboard from the zip above. Then just side load and install it like you would any other application. You may need to reinstall it after each boot.
Alternatively you can try to replace the apk in system/apps with the one above, set permissions and see if that works. It doesn't work in stock but is a superior method if it works on nrgs rom.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What keyboard apk?
rorytmeadows said:
What keyboard apk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
download the TFP ICS keyboard zip from the OP and unzip it. Inside that, you'll find the keyboard apk (you don't need the dictionary)
there are a way faster to put ICS keyboard on JB ?
xfeedbacker said:
there are a way faster to put ICS keyboard on JB ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha yeah, found it recently. You have to do steps A as above. Then Install the apk like you would any other apk from a file explorer like astro or ES or the built in file explorer. After that, open up titanium backup, find the keyboard, long press and click move to system apps.
Voila!
Only issue is that google now wants to update it every time you reboot the device or update apps. The way I got around this is to put a tibu widget on your home screen that you can click and will detach from the marketplace. Do this once after every reboot and you'll be very happy
nhshah7 said:
haha yeah, found it recently. You have to do steps A as above. Then Install the apk like you would any other apk from a file explorer like astro or ES or the built in file explorer. After that, open up titanium backup, find the keyboard, long press and click move to system apps.
Voila!
Only issue is that google now wants to update it every time you reboot the device or update apps. The way I got around this is to put a tibu widget on your home screen that you can click and will detach from the marketplace. Do this once after every reboot and you'll be very happy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
man, i'm too dumb :/ hahaha
So what i need is do this steps:
File Explorer Directions for A & B:
0. Plug in your Prime to your PC.
1. Download Root Explorer or ES File Manager or any other program that can access system files.
2. Navigate to /system/app and copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk.
3. Paste them to /sdcard and rename them LatinImeGoogleJB.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPackJB.apk. Copy these to your PC for safe keeping if you want.
4. Unzip the TFP ICS Android Keyboard.zip files to your computer and copy them to the SD Card of your Prime.
5. Copy LatinImeGoogle.apk and LatinImeDictionaryPack.apk from your /sdcard.
6. Paste them to /system/app.
7. Change/fix permissions for both to rw-r--r--.
8. Reboot.
Install te apk of the ICS keyboard
Open titanium backup and install the app to system apps (but i don't have nothing because i use Go Backup)
I told you that i was not inteligent haha
You're intelligent enough to read and ask questions download titanium backup for this, free version may also perform this function
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 4
I got tired of the Samsung keyboard, Swype, Google Keyboard, and the standard AOSP keyboard (without the ability to long-press letters to get symbols).
Here's how to get the Cyanogenmod 11 keyboard, with its long-press symbol ability and with gesture typing working, onto any (maybe KitKat-only) ROM. There may be a quicker way, but this is how I did it.
Grab any recent CM11 build.
Grab the latest CM11 Google Apps package.
Copy /system/app/LatinIME.apk from the CM11 archive to /system/app on your device (with ES File Explorer via its Root Explorer option, through ADB, or whatever you prefer). Set its permissions to 0644 (owner read and write, group read, others read).
Copy /system/lib/libjni_unbundled_latinimegoogle.so from the Google Apps archive to /system/lib on your device and set its permissions to 0644.
Reboot your device.
Enable the keyboard and set it as default.
This isn't new information, but it took me a bit to figure out from scattered posts, so I thought I'd pass it on.